Wanstead Flats
Birds of Wanstead Flats
The birds that have been sighted on, from and around Wanstead Flats are listed here.
Those shown bold are thought to breed on Wanstead Flats, those in italics are escapes, infrequent visitors, or uncommon now.
For listing from 1974-1980 click hereFor comparative reports for 1980 and 2000 click here top
| Little Grebe | Breeds on Alexandra Lake |
| Great Crested Grebe | Breeds on Alexandra Lake |
| Cormorant | Occasionally uses Alexandra Lake and Jubilee Pond |
| Grey Heron | Often seen flying over; occasionaly by lakes |
| Egyptian Goose | Escaped birds have lived on Alexandra Lake |
| Canada Goose | Up to 200 on and around lakes |
| Greylag Goose | On Alexandra Lake, has bred |
| Barnacle Goose | Sometimes on Alexandra Lake |
| Mute Swan | Breeds on Alexandra Lake |
| Mallard | Breeds on Alexandra Lake |
| Teal | Infrequent visitor until about 2005, then up to 14 seen on numerous occasions during the winter and a pair in spring of 2006. |
| Gadwall | Fairly common in winter on Alexandra Lake |
| Wigeon | Uncommon |
| Shoveler | Fairly common mainly in winter on Alexandra Lake |
| Red-crested Pochard | An escape has been seen on Alexandra Lake |
| Pochard | Sometimes seen on Alexandra Lake |
| Tufted Duck | Has bred on Alexandra Lake |
| Goldeneye | Has been seen on Alexandra Lake |
| Ruddy Duck | A pair bred and had three young on Alexandra Lake in 2001 |
| Sparrowhawk | Common |
| Buzzard | Has been sighted overhead |
| Hobby | Uses Wanstead Flats for feeding |
| Kestrel | Common |
| Moorhen | Breeds on Alexandra Lake |
| Coot | Breeds on Alexandra Lake |
| Lapwing | Sometimes seen flying over |
| Common Sandpiper | Occurs infrequently by Alexandra Lake |
| Black-headed Gull | Common - hundreds at times on the playing fields |
| Lesser Black-backed Gull | Fairly Common |
| Mediterranean Gull | Occasional individuals |
| Common Gull | Common - slightly less numerous than Black-headed Gulls |
| Herring Gull | Increasing in small numbers |
| Common Tern | Occasionaly uses Alexandra Lake |
| Wood Pigeon | Common |
| Feral Pigeon | Common, particularly on car park by Alexandra Lake |
| Collared Dove | Common |
| Cuckoo | Usually heard for a few days each Spring |
| Tawny Owl | Less common now - has bred in adjacent Manor Park and City of London Cemeteries |
| Swift | Common, breed in nearby Wanstead Park Avenue |
| Kingfisher | Seen occasionaly on Alexandra Lake |
| Wryneck | The only record is of a bird on Wanstead Flats in September 2010 |
| Green Woodpecker | Sometimes seen and heard |
| Greater Spotted Woodpecker | Sometimes seen and heard |
| Lesser Spotted Woodpecker | Uncommon, but did breed in 2010 |
| Skylark | Common with good breeding success |
| Sand Martin | Passage in Spring and Autumn |
| Swallow | Passage in Spring and Autumn with some during the Summer feeding over Flats |
| House Martin | Much less common now; used to breed on many houses adjacent. |
| Meadow Pipit | Small numbers in winter and summer |
| Yellow Wagtail | Uncommon =- more often seen or heard flying over |
| Grey Wagtail | Occasional by Alexandra Lake |
| Pied Wagtail | Breeds by Alexandra Lake |
| Wren | Common |
| Dunnock | Common in gardens adjacent to Flats |
| Sedge Warbler | Occasionaly heard singing in Spring from Alexandra Lake |
| Blackcap | Common; seen throughout winter in gardens adjacent to Flats |
| Lesser Whitethroat | Uncommon |
| Whitethroat | Fairly common |
| Dartford Warbler | The first record of this species was one bird on 31st October. |
| Willow Warbler | Uncommon |
| Chiffchaff | Common in Wanstead Park, gardens and on islands of Alexandra Lake |
| Firecrest | Has been seen in gardens adjacent to Wanstead Flats |
| Goldcrest | Fairly common in gardens adjacent to Flats mainly in Winter |
| Spotted Flycatcher | Occasional - less common now. |
| Whinchat | Small numbers in Summer on Wanstead Flats |
| Stonechat | Small numbers on Wanstead Flats |
| Wheatear | Passage in Spring and Autumn |
| Ring Ouzel | One or two reports of birds on migration on Wanstead Flats |
| Robin | Common |
| Fieldfare | Fairly common in some winters |
| Blackbird | Common |
| Redwing | Fairly common in some winters |
| Song Thrush | Less common now |
| Mistle Thrush | Common |
| Long-tailed Tit | Common |
| Coal Tit | Fairly common in gardens adjacent to Flats |
| Blue Tit | Common |
| Great Tit | Common |
| Nuthatch | Uncommon |
| Treecreeper | Uncommon |
| Yellowhammer | Uncommon |
| Reed Bunting | Uncommon |
| Chaffinch | Fairly common |
| Greenfinch | Less common now |
| Siskin | Has been seen by Alexandra Lake, but rare |
| Goldfinch | Less common now |
| Linnet | Uncommon |
| Redpoll | Uncommon |
| Bullfinch | Less common now |
| House Sparrow | Common |
| Starling | Common - sometimes in hundreds |
| Jay | Common |
| Magpie | Common |
| Jackdaw | Increasing, particularly around Alexandra Lake |
| Carrion Crow | Common - over a hundred may be counted at times |
Wanstead Flats - Fungi
(for a description of the Fungi of the area see The Fungi of Southern Epping Forest by C.W. Plant and G. Kibby, The London Naturalist, No.63, 1984.)
|
Species
|
Common Name
|
Location/Date
|
| Agaricus campestris | Field Mushroom | 23/10/1979 |
| Agaricus macrosporus | Upland Horse Mushroom | |
| Agaricus xanthoderma |
Yellow Stainer | |
| Amanita muscaria | Fly Agaric | 28/10/2012 |
| Anthracobia macrocystis | a cup fungus | |
| Auricularia mesenterica | Tripe Fungus | 18/10/1979 |
| Bolbitius vitellinus (=titubans) |
Yellow Fieldcap | 24/10/2012 |
| Boletus chrysenteron | Red-cracked Boletus | 28/10/1979 |
| Bulgaria inquinans | Black Bulgar | 12/01/2016 |
| Claviceps purpurea |
Ergot | 10/08/1979 |
| Collybia dryophila | Russett Toughshank | |
| Collybia maculata | Spotted Toughshank | |
| Coprinus plicatilis | Japanese Umbrella | 15/03/1977 |
| Cyathus olla | Field Bird's-nest | 01/01/2019 |
| Daldinia concentrica | King Alfred's Cakes | 12/01/2016 |
| Exidia glandulosa ? | Witches Butter | |
| Flammulina velutipes | Velvet Foot | 15/03/1977 |
| Ganoderma applanatum/adspersum/europaeum | Artist's Fungus | 12/01/2016 |
| Gymnopilus junonius | Spectacular Rustgill | 14/10/1979 |
| Hygrocybe ceracea | Butter Waxcap | |
| Hygrocybe irrigata ? | Slimy Waxcap | 22/10/2000 |
| Hygrocybe nigrescens | Blackening Wax-cap | |
| Hygrocybe nivea | Snowy Waxcap | 23/11/1980 |
| Hygrocybe psittacina | Parrot Wax-cap | |
| Hypholoma fasciculare | Sulphur Tuft | |
| Laccaria amethystina | Amethyst Deceiver | |
| Laccaria laccata | The Deceiver | 22/10/2000 |
| Lacrymaria velutina | Weeping Widow | |
| Lepista nuda | Wood Blewit | 23/11/1980 |
| Lepista saeva | Field Blewit | |
| Leucoagaricus (Lepiota) leucothites | White Dapperling | |
| Lycoperdon perlatum | Common Puffball | |
| Lycoperdon pyriforme | Stump Puffball | 01/02/2005 |
| Macrolepiota procera | Parasol | 28/10/1979 |
| Macrolepiota rhacodes | Shaggy Parasol | 03/11/1979 |
| Macrotyphula (Clavaria) fistulosa | Pipe Club | |
| Marasmius androsaceus | Horse-hair Fungus | |
| Marasmius oreades | Fairy Ring Champignon | 18/08/1979 |
| Meripilus giganteus | Giant Polypore | 11/09/1979 |
| Mycena epipterygia | Yellowleg Bonnet | |
| Mycena flavo-alba | Ivory Bonnet | 09/11/1979 |
| Mycena galericulata | Bonnet Mycena | 29/10/1980 |
| Mycena galopus | Milking Bonnet | 09/11/1979 |
| Mycena leptocephala | Nitrous Bonnet | |
| Nectria cinnabarina | Coral-spot | 08/01/2010 |
| Panaeolus acuminatus (rickenii) | Dewdrop Mottlegill | 27/10/1980 |
| Peziza repanda | Palamino Cup | 27/10/1980 |
| Phallus impudicus |
Stinkhorn | |
| Phlebia radiata (merismoides) | Wrinkled Crust | |
| Phragmidium violaceum | Violet Bramble Rust | 14/11/2001 on bramble leaf in Alex. Wood. |
| Phyllosticta sphaeropsoidea | Horse Chestnut Leaf Blotch | 23/06/2018 |
| Piptoporus betulinus | Birch Polypore | |
| Pluteus cervinus | Deer Toadstool | 12/03/1977 |
| Polyporus squamosus |
Dryad's Saddle | 05/05/2006 |
| Postia tephroleuca | Greyling Bracket | 12/01/2016 |
| Psathyrella candolleana | Crumble Cap | 28/09/1981 |
| Psathyrella gracilis | Brittlestem | 03/11/1979 |
| Reticularia lycoperdon ? | 05/02/2001 near Aldersbrook changing rooms | |
| Russula cyanoxantha | The Charcoal Burner | 28/10/1979 |
| Russula vesca | Bare-toothed Russula | |
| Schizophyllum commune | Splitgill Fungus | 03/03/2016 |
| Scleroderma areolatum ? | Leopard Earthball | 17/01/2005 |
| Stropharia aeruginosa | Verdigris Agaric | |
| Trametes (Coriolus) versicolor | Many-zoned Polypore | 12/10/2010 |
| Tremella mesenterica | Yellow Brain | 12/01/2016 |
| Tricholoma saponaceum | Soapy Knight | |
| Tubaria furfuracea | Scurfy Twiglet | |
| Volvariella speciosa | Rosegill |